Method for laying cable in pressure pipeline without stopping transmission

This patent application claims the benefit and priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 202410232172.5 filed with the China National Intellectual Property Administration on Mar. 1, 2024, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes as part of the present application.

The present disclosure relates to the technical field of cable laying in pipelines, in particular to a method for laying a cable in a pressure pipeline without stopping transmission without stopping transmission.

It is an effective way to detect pipeline leakage, siltation and other problems and prevent pipeline explosion by laying cables into pipelines. The pipelines include existing pressure pipelines for water diversion, water supply, heat supply, gas, petroleum, chemical and other industries. In the existing intelligent ball detection technology applied in oil and gas chemical pipelines, the intelligent ball is driven to move in the pipeline with differential pressure for detection. After pipeline transmission is stopped, all media transported in the pipeline are emptied, then the valve is opened to put the intelligent ball, and then the intelligent ball is pushed from one end of the pipeline to the other end by the air compressor for internal detection. There are many problems in this technology. Firstly, transmission of the pipeline must be stopped before detection. However, transmission stop of the pipeline not only seriously affects the economic benefits of enterprises, but also affects the production and life order. Therefore, pipeline enterprises generally choose to stop transmission for inspection after pipeline problems have occurred, which is remedial. Secondly, the functions of the intelligent ball are limited. Although the intelligent ball is integrated with more and more sensors, such as a camera, a leakage flux sensor, a sound sensor and a pipe shape sensor, the internal detection of the intelligent ball is temporary, and there are some defects such as no long-term real-time distributed detection and inaccurate positioning of fault points. Thirdly, the intelligent ball is complicated to use and difficult to operate. For example, it is necessary to open a valve or open a hole to lay the intelligent ball into the pipeline, it is necessary to drive the intelligent ball with a large air compressor, it is necessary to cooperate with ground instruments, the intelligent ball is easily stuck in the pipeline, and it is difficult to find and take out the ball after it is lost. Fourthly, the cost performance of intelligent ball detection is not high. If the detection period is long, the problems cannot be found in time. If the detection period is short, the cost remains high, which further affects the normal pipeline transportation.

In the field of monitoring and early warning of long-distance high-pressure oil and gas pipelines risks, the distributed fiber sensor cannot be continuously laid along the pipeline without excavation. In fact, the inner cavity of the pipeline is a good channel for laying the distributed fiber sensor. If the distributed fiber sensor that meets the internal environment of long-distance high-pressure oil and gas pipelines can be laid into the pipeline, the above problems can be effectively overcome.

The purpose of the present disclosure is to provide a method for laying a cable in a pressure pipeline without stopping transmission so as to solve the problem that a distributed fiber sensor is effectively laid in an inner cavity of a pipeline without excavation or punching.

In order to solve the technical problem, the present disclosure adopts the following technical scheme.

The present disclosure provides a method for laying a cable in a pressure pipeline without stopping transmission, including the following steps:

Where the length of the traction rope is larger than that of the pipeline between the upstream bypass and the downstream bypass.

The upstream bypass and the downstream bypass are arranged on the pipeline of the cable to be laid between an upstream valve and a downstream valve respectively. The fluid flow of the pipeline can be adjusted by the upstream valve of the pipeline, so that the moving speed of the floating ball is controlled and adjusted to prevent the floating ball from passing over the downstream bypass due to excessive fluid pressure difference acting force applied on the floating ball, so as to enable the floating ball smoothly falling into the downstream bypass.

The traction rope can be dragged after the front-end valve is opened to avoid the traction rope from being stuck by the closed valve and being difficult to be wound.

Further, the pipeline is a pressure fluid pipeline.

Further, valves are also respectively arranged at the upstream and downstream ends of the pipeline.

Further, the first downstream valve, a downstream bypass pipe and the second downstream valve are arranged on the downstream bypass in sequence; the first downstream valve is arranged between the downstream bypass and the downstream bypass pipe, and the second downstream valve is arranged at an end of the downstream bypass pipe away from the first downstream valve.

And/or, the take-up reel is arranged in the downstream bypass pipe.

Further, the first upstream valve, an upstream bypass pipe and the second upstream valve are arranged on the upstream bypass in sequence; the first upstream valve is arranged between the upstream bypass and the upstream bypass pipe, and the second upstream valve is arranged at an end of the upstream bypass pipe away from the first upstream valve.

A pay-off reel is installed in the upstream bypass pipe.

Further, the take-up reel is located below the pipeline, and the take-up reel is located above the pipeline, where an outer edge of a gate plate of each of the first upstream valve and the first downstream valve is provided with a rubber ring to prevent from cutting the traction rope when the value is closed, and meanwhile, the tightness of the pipeline is maintained.

Further, the floating ball is a light physical foaming ball.

Further, the traction rope is a high-strength fine thread, and the high-strength fine thread is wound on a bobbin of the pay-off reel.

Further, the floating ball in the shape of a rugby, the largest diameter of the floating ball is a skirt made of silica gel, so that the air tightness is ensured while the passability of the floating ball is ensured.

The floating ball is of a hollow structure, and the traction rope with a length of not less than three meters is stored in the floating ball, so that after the floating ball falls into the downstream bypass and the first downstream valve is closed, the traction rope stored in the floating ball is able to be taken out and a sufficient length of the traction rope is ensured to facilitate pulling the traction rope out of the second downstream valve.

Compared with the prior art, some embodiments have the following beneficial effects. In some embodiments, bypasses are respectively arranged at the upstream and downstream of the pipeline for a cable to be laid, and the floating ball which can move with a fluid in the pipeline to the downstream bypass is placed in the upstream bypass, where the floating ball is connected with a traction rope, the traction rope is connected with the cable to be laid, and the cable can be laid continuously and effectively by using the traction rope.

The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been principally selected for readability and instructional purposes, and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

A method for laying a cable in a pressure pipeline without stopping transmission is disclosed in the embodiment, including the following steps:

In the embodiment, the upstream bypassand the downstream bypassare arranged on the pipelineof the cable to be laid between an upstream valve and a downstream valve respectively; the fluid flow of the pipelinecan be adjusted by the upstream valve of the pipeline, so that the moving speed of the floating ballis controlled and adjusted to prevent the floating ballfrom passing over the downstream bypassdue to excessive fluid pressure difference acting force applied on the floating ball, so as to enable the floating ballsmoothly falling into the downstream bypass.

The sealing device specifically relates to a valve structure for a cable built in a gas pipeline, and belongs to the prior art with patent publication (notification) number CN218818563U.

Specifically, in S2, firstly, the upstream valve of the pipelineis closed, the second upstream valveon the upstream bypassis opened to put in the floating ball, the traction ropeis introduced into the upstream bypassthrough the sealing device to connect with the floating ball, and two meters (larger than the distance between an outlet of the downstream bypassand an inlet of the upstream bypass) is stored in the floating ball, the second upstream valveof the upstream bypassis closed, then the first upstream valveon the upstream bypassis opened, the floating ball falls into the pipelineby gravity, and then the upstream valve of the pipelineis opened, and the floating ballis brought to the downstream valve of the pipeline by air pressure, and the first downstream valveof the downstream bypassis opened, so that the floating ballfalls into the downstream bypass.

During the specific implementation, the traction rope with a length of more than 2 meters is stored on the floating ballto ensure that the length of the traction rope in the floating ball can be expanded after the first downstream valve of the downstream bypass is closed to lock the traction rope, and it is ensured that the traction rope can be pulled outside the second downstream valve.

In the embodiment, the pipelineis a liquid or gas pipeline, such as one of a water pipe, an oil pipe and a natural gas pipe.

Valves are also respectively installed at the upstream and downstream ends of the pipelinefor controlling the flow rate of a fluid in the pipeline.

In the embodiment, the first downstream valve, the downstream bypass pipeand the second downstream valveare installed on the downstream bypassin sequence. The first downstream valveis arranged between the downstream bypassand the downstream bypass pipe, and the second downstream valveis arranged at the end of the downstream bypass pipeaway from the first downstream valve.

Specifically, a take-up reelis installed in the downstream bypass pipeand used for taking up the traction rope.

In the embodiment, the first upstream valve, the upstream bypass pipeand the second upstream valveare arranged on the upstream bypassin sequence. The first upstream valveis installed between the upstream bypassand the upstream bypass pipe, and the second upstream valveis arranged at the end of the upstream bypass pipeaway from the first upstream valve.

Where, a pay-off reelis installed in the upstream bypass pipefor winding the cable to be laid on the pay-off reel. When one end of the floating ballreaches the downstream bypass, the cable to be laid is moved to the downstream bypassalong with the traction rope connected with the floating ball.

Specifically, the floating ballis a light physical foaming ball. The traction ropeis a high-strength fine thread, and the high-strength fine thread is wound on a bobbin of the pay-off reel.

In the embodiment, the floating ballis in the shape of an elongated prolate spheroid, being similar in shape to a rugby ball as is used in the team sport of rugby football, a portion of the largest diameter of the floating ball is a skirt made of silica gel, and the air tightness is ensured while the passability of the floating ballis ensured.

The floating ball is of a hollow structure, and a traction rope with a length of not less than three meters is stored in the floating ball, so that after the floating ballfalls into the downstream bypassand the first downstream valve is closed, the traction rope stored in the floating ball can be taken out and sufficient length of the traction rope is ensured to facilitate pulling the traction rope out of the second downstream valve.

The method includes the following specific working steps in the embodiment.

As shown in, holes are formed between and close to the upstream and downstream valves of the pipeline, and bypasses (the upstream bypassand the downstream bypass) are installed at the holes respectively. The upstream bypassis higher than an upper wall of the pipeline, and the downstream bypassis located below the pipelineand lower than a lower wall of the pipeline. Two valves are installed on each bypass pipe in sequence.

The second upstream valveon the upstream bypassis opened, the light physical foaming ballis loaded, and the bobbin coiled with the high-strength fine thread is installed. After the threaded is connected with the light physical foaming ball, the second upstream valveat the rear part of the bypass pipe is closed, the first upstream valvein front of the bypass pipe is opened, and the light physical foaming ballslides into the pipelinewith the action of gravity.

The valve of the pipelineis opened, and the light physical foaming ballis pushed downstream by strong thrust of the fluid in pipeline, and the traction ropeis brought downstream.

When the light physical foaming ballreaches the downstream valve of the pipeline, the first valve (the first downstream valve) on the downstream bypassis opened, and the light physical foaming ballslides out of the pipeline (the downstream bypass pipe) and enters the bypass pipe.

The first valve of the downstream bypass(the first downstream valve) is closed, the light physical foaming ballis taken back, and the traction ropeis lead out of the bypass pipe through a moving sealing ring of the second valve (the second downstream valve).

In the embodiment, a high-strength fiber bundle which is not easy to be broken by valves is used as the traction rope, and rubber rings are respectively added on the outer edges of gate plates of valves (the first upstream valveand the second downstream valve), so that the traction ropes cannot be broken when the valves are closed.

The traction ropeleading out of the upstream bypass pipe is connected with a distributed fiber sensor, and the first upstream valveis opened to facilitate the fiber sensor to enter the pipeline.

The traction ropeleading out of the downstream bypass pipe is connected with a thread drawer, a take-up machine installed in the downstream bypass pipeis started to pull the distributed fiber sensor to the downstream bypass pipe and out of the downstream bypass pipe. In the specific embodiment, the take-up machine can also be installed outside the downstream bypass pipe.

Where, the distributed fiber sensor and the front and back gate valves on the bypass pipes are fixed, the valves are sealed, and cable laying is completed.

In the specific embodiment, the traction rope and the cable pass through a dynamic sealing device on the second upstream valve on the upstream bypass. Then, the second upstream valve of the upstream bypass is closed, the first upstream valve is opened so that the floating ball enters the main pipeline, then the upstream and downstream valves of the main pipelines are opened so that the pressure difference in the pipeline pushes the floating ball to reach the downstream bypass and fall into the downstream bypass pipe, the second downstream valve is opened after the first downstream valve of the downstream bypass is closed, the floating ball is taken out, the traction rope stored in the floating ball is untied and pass through the dynamic sealing device on the second downstream valve, then the second downstream valve is closed, the first downstream valve is opened, and the traction rope is pulled out of the pipeline through the take-up machine. Meanwhile the cable connected to a tail end of the traction rope is pulled into the pipeline and the head of the cable is pulled out of the pipeline. Finally, the valves on the upstream and downstream bypasses are closed as required.

In the embodiment, as shown in, when the pipelineis filled with liquid, the pay-off reelis designed to be located below the pipeline, and the take-up reelis located above the pipeline, so that the floating ballis captured at the downstream bypass.